Valve actuating device



A ril 13, 1965 BENEDETTQ. 3,178,077

' VALVE ACTUATING DEVICE Filed Aug. 2, 1961 INVENTOR. Frank J. BenedettoBY: r

United States Patent 3,178,977 VALVE AQTUATENG DEVKCE Frank J.Benedetto, Chicago, llh, assignor to Creative Ideas, Inc., Lake Forest,Ill., a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 2, 1961, Ser. No. 128,725 6Saints. (Cl. 222-4594) The present invention relates to improvements invalve acuating devices and is particularly concerned with the novelconstruction and assembly of a trigger mechanism for association withthe press button for the valve stem of a container of pressurizedmaterial such, for example, as a container of areosol mixtures.

It is well known that such containers are provided with a normallyclosed valve having a valve operating assembly which includes a stemand/or a button, having a dispensing orifice therein and which is placedin flow communication with the interior of the container when the buttonis held in a depressed or valve-open condition so as to permit ejectionof the aerosol mixture in a vaporized or atomized spray. Such valvesremain open only so long as they are held manually in depressedcondition. In many instances of use of such containers it is desirableto maintain the valve in an open position for prolonged time intervalsto eifect continuous spray discharge. The present invention contemplatesthe mounting on such a container of a novel trigger mechanism which isoperable to momentarily depress the valve button for short spray bursts,as during customary operation, or to latch said valve button depressedto elfect continuous spraying so long as the button remains in a latchedposition.

It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide novel triggermechanism for an aerosol container.

Another object is to provide novel trigger mechanism of the characterreferred to with novel means for latching same in valve open position.

Another object is to provide an integrally molded trig ger mechanismthat is not expensive to manufacture, may be easily and quickly snappedinto place over the valve mechanism on an aerosol container, and whichis simple to use, positive in its operation and is very efficient,whether used for intermittent or continuous spraymg.

With the foregoing and such other objects in view, which will appear asthe description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novelfeatures of construction, arrangement and combination of partshereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings,and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understoodthat various changes in form, proportion, size and minor details ofconstruction may be incorporated without departing from the spirit ofthe invention.

Referring to the drawings in which the same characters of reference areemployed to identify corresponding parts:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of an aerosol container showingthe trigger mechanism mounted thereon;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1, but viewed from anotherangle;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged elevational view of the upper end of an aerosolcontainer, showing the trigger mechanism in open position and a coveringcap mounted thereon, the latter elements being shown in section;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, but omitting the covering cap andshowing the trigger mechanism in a position assumed when actuated forintermittent or manual spraying; and,

FIG. 5 is a View similar to FIG. 4, showing the trig- 7 Referring to thedisclosure in the accompanying drawings, the exemplary representation ofan aerosol container comprises the usual body 11 having a valveoperating assembly 12 mounted firmly in its upper Wall 13. The valveoperating assembly is carried in a cap 14 having a peripheral head 15that is crimped tightly about a related bead (not shown) on thecontainer top wall 13. The valve operating assembly includes a normallyelevated vertically reciprocable hollow stem 16 having a button 17 onits upper end and which is adapted to be depressed to carry the stem 16downwardly for opening the usual normally closed valve structureassociated with it whereby the contents of the container may be ejectedin the form of a spray through a dispensing orifice 18 (FIG. 1) in thebutton. Inasmuch as the valve structure per se forms no part of thepresent invention it is not illustrated.

The trigger mechanism 19 preferably is integrally molded from suitableplastic or other resilient shaperetaining material, such as for examplepolypropylene, and it includes a circular base wall 21 having aperipheral depending skirt 22 formed on its lower edge with an internalannual flange 23. The skirt and flange are of a size to be snap-fittedover head 15 which retains the mechanism in place with the valve stemand button projecting upwardly thereinto through an opening in said basewall. A substantially rectangular upstanding body or shell, comprised ofa front wall 24, a back wall 25 and spaced connecting side Walls 26,surrounds said valve stem and is formed integral with base wall 21 toform a substantially rectangular enclosure for the upwardly protrudingvalve stem 16 and its button 17. When the mechanism 19 is in place onthe container, a window opening 26 in front wall 24 is in registeringalignment with dispensing orifice 18.

The back wall 25 carries a relatively thick finger piece 27, integrallyconnected at one of its ends with the upper edge of said wall by aflexible web 28. The finger piece normally stands in an upwardlyinclined position, as best illustrated in FIG. 3, so as to be spacedfrom the top surface of button 17.

When intermittent manual spraying of the container contents is desired,finger piece 27 is manually depressed into substantially the positionshown in FIG. 4 and held in such position manually as long as required.When thus depressed, the bottom surface 29 of said finger piece bearsagainst and depresses the button 17 a distance sufiicient to open therelated valve.

In order to effect continuous spraying, the finger piece is latched inbutton depressing position and retained latched until spraying is to bediscontinued whereupon it may be quickly released to permit the valve toclose. eferring now to FIG. 5, the finger piece 27 is shown latched invalve open position by depressing same sufiiciently to engage the freeupper for-ward edge 31 thereof beneath a downwardly facing ledge orshoulder 32 on one face of an upstanding extension 33 formed integralwith the upper edge of front Wall 24. Such engagement is effected byinitial camming outwardly of extension 33 by the inclined end surface 34of the finger piece. The extension 33 is sufiiciently flexible to permitsuch engagement and the parts are held intenlatched by the inherentresiliency of the material of the trigger mechanism and the normaltendency of the button-stem assembly l6-17 to return to valve closingposition. When the latched finger piece is to be released, the upwardlyprojecting free end of extension 33 is manually urged outwardlysufficiently to disengage its shoulder 32 from said finger piece whichthen returns 9 to its upwardly inclined ineffective position.Preferably,

an antifriction surface, such as ribs 35, may be formed in the topsurface of finger piece 27.

3 7 When not in use, the trigger mechanism may be enclosed in a readilyremovable cap 36 that may have tight binding engagement with the outsidecircumferential surface of skirt 22. This cap may be fabricated of anysuitable material but preferably is metal. Y

' As many possible embodiments may be made in theinvention, and as manychanges might be made in the embodiments above set forth, it is to beunderstood that all matters hereinbefore set forth or shown in theaccompanying drawings are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United Statesis:

1. A moulded actuating device for a normally closed valve on apressurized container having a depressible valve actuating stemprojecting therefrom and a dispensing orifice in said stem, said devicecomprising a wall having a depending peripheral skirt engageable withthe container and around the stern, an upstanding hollow 2 body integralwith said wall and 'into, which said stern extends, a fingerenga-ging'element integral with and movable relative to said body intoengagement with said valve stem for depressing same, means on the bodyto latch said finger engaging element in valve stem depressing position,and'an opening in the body wall in register with said orifice.

2. The actuating device recited in claim 1, in which the latch means isintegral with thebody and is resiliently displacea'ble to facilitate itsdisengagement from said element.

3. A moulded actuating device for a normally closed valve on apressurized container having a depressible Valve actuating stemprojecting therefrom and a dispensing orifice in said stem, said devicecomprising a base, a depending skirt on said base resiliently engageablewith means on the container to secure the device to the container, anopening in said base and through which the valve stem extends, a hollowbody having upstanding walls integral with said base and surroundingsaid opening, one of said walls having an opening therein in registerwith the dispensing orifice in said stem, a fingerengaging triggerelement hingedly connected to another of said walls above the valve stemand normally positioned out of contact with said stem, said triggerelement being manually depressible to engage and depress the valve stemfor opening said valve, and a resiliently yieldable latch integral withone of said walls engageable with said trigger element to hold it instern depressing position.

4. A valve actuating device comprising a substantially circular basewall, a resiliently deformable skirt depending from said base wall, saidbase wall having an opening therein, upstanding walls forming asubstantially rectangular hollow body surrounding said opening, one ofsaid walls having an opening therein, a trigger element integral with afree edge of another of said walls and movable relative thereto, andlatch means for said trigger element integral with the wall having theopening therein.

5. A one-piece actuating device for the valve and op-' erating assemblytherefor on 'a pressurized container, said device comprising abodyadapted to be detachably mounted on said container overrthe valveoperating assembly, a manually'depressi ble member pivotally connectedto said body and movable from a first ineifective positionremotelyspaced from the valve operating assembly into a second position ofoperative engagement with said valve operating assembly, and a latch onthe body to engage with and latch said depressible member in engagementwith the valve operating assembly for holding the valve in opencondition.

6. In a valve actuating device and operating assembly therefor on apressurized container, 'a valve with an upstanding valve stem having adispensing orifice adjacent to its upperend, a trigger mechanism mountedon said container and including manually engageable means operable todepress said valve stem for opening the valve, and means to latch saidtrigger mechanism in valve open position, said latch means including aresiliently displaceable element integral with said trigger mechanismand engageable with said manually engageable means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS.

6. IN A VALVE ACTUATING DEVICE AND OPERATING ASSEMBLY THEREFOR AN APRESSURIZED CONTAINER, A VALVE WITH AN UPSTANDING VALVE STEM HAVING ADISPENSING ORIFICE ADJACENT TO ITS UPPER END, A TRIGGER MECHANISMMOUNTED ON SAID CONTAINER AND INCLUDING MANUALLY ENGAGEABLE MEANSOPERABLE TO DEPRESS SAID VALVE STEM FOR OPENING THE VALVE, AND MEANS TOLATCH SAID TRIGGER MECHANISM IN VALVE OPEN POSITION, SAID LATCH MEANSINCLUDING A RESILIENTLY DISPLACE-